NACDLast week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) denied requests from NACD and several other organizations for a 30-day extension of the comment period for the agency’s Risk Management Program (RMP) proposed rule. The day after receiving the denial, NACD Vice President of Regulatory Affairs Jennifer Gibson spoke at an EPA public hearing on the RMP proposal. She expressed concerns about the compressed time frame for comment on such a major rule as well as several elements of the proposal, including requirements for third-party audits, incident investigation and root cause analyses of near miss incidents, and exercises with local response organizations. Written comments on the proposed rule are due on May 13, 2016.READ MOREBack to top

NACDNACD has signed on to a paper along with 34 other associations outlining the concerns of industry over the U.S. Occupational Health and Safety Administration’s (OSHA) labeling guidance on the use of placards on tank trucks and tank rail cars. The letter explains that OSHA’s labeling guidance infringes on U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) jurisdiction by requiring its own OSHA labels on bulk shipments while they are in transportation. The paper concludes by asking DOT to affirm its jurisdiction over hazard communications in transportation and requests clarification from DOT due to the possibility of confusion in an emergency situation and the potential for enforcement action by an agency. A copy of the paper can be found here.READ MOREBack to top

NACDIn this selfie video, NACD President Eric Byer introduces you to the NACD Washington Fly-in and invites you to join us this year in Washington, D.C. on May 17-18. The hotel block closes on April 22, so make sure you register for the event and secure your hotel room today!Back to top

Please join NACD this Thursday, April 7 at 12 p.m. Eastern for a joint Regulatory-Responsible Distribution webinar, Working with LEPCs to Enhance Facility and Community Safety and Preparedness. Presenting the webinar will be special guest Mathy Stanislaus, Assistant Administrator of EPA’s Office of Land and Emergency Management. Click here to register.READ MOREBack to top

NACD has added consulting group R&S Compliance Group to our list of Regulatory Compliance Preferred Providers (RCPP). R&S Compliance Group specializes in a full complement of regulatory compliance auditing, compliance training, consulting, and management services for workplace health and safety. R&S offers training programs for OSHA, EPA and DOT regulations and can provide inspection and audit services. Find out more information about R&S here.READ MOREBack to top

DEADEA has announced the opening of registration for their Chemical Industry Conference. It will be held May 4-5 in Mesa, Arizona. A quick review of the agenda shows that DEA plans on covering several topics including quotas, imports/exports, EPA issues, CBP issues, and other regulatory updates. Registration is only open to DEA chemical registrants.READ MOREBack to top

.

PRODUCT SHOWCASE

Weighing Your Profits: Truck ScalesA truck scale is your cash register. Nothing is more critical to a distribution operation than the ability to weigh trucks in and out. J.A. King has over 75 years’ experience in the scale business. Contact us for a quote on a new scale or service of your existing scale.

NACD/TSAThe Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has released a guidance document on Securing Transportation Assets and Operations aimed at enhancing security awareness in the transportation industry. The guidance offers information, tips, and tools to strengthen the industry’s resistance to disruption of its critical services. It covers several areas where transportation security infrastructure could be attacked and/or exploited including insider threats and improvised explosive devices. The guidance can be found here.READ MOREBack to top

Safety+HealthOSHA’s final Hazard Communication Standard deadline around the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals is quickly approaching. That means all customers must be fully compliant with the requirements, including those for Safety Data Sheets and chemical container labels, by June 1 of this year. Because of this deadline, many chemical users need to resolve detailed implementation issues that often get overlooked in GHS presentations or summaries.READ MOREBack to top

Assmann discusses the various nozzles for polyethylene tanks in its white paper, Explanation of Nozzles. Often, nozzles are misapplied, which can cause problems after installation. Assmann offers a general guideline to help select the proper nozzle for your polyethylene tanks. Four styles are typically available, bulkhead, flange, metallic and molded in.

TrackAbout makes it easy to know where your containers are located, what is in them, and was in them. Use smartphones, tablets or rugged handhelds to locate and manage your containers. Track lot numbers, capture proof of delivery, access customer balance reports, customer turn reports, and much more.

Bloomberg BNAHailing the release of the final silica rule on March 24, Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez at times was apologetic, recounting stories about thousands of workers who died from inhaling silica. "It shouldn't have taken this long," Perez said, addressing an audience of labor representatives and businesses that support the new rule. "Today public policy is catching up with science."READ MOREBack to top

EPAEPA is amending the list of
chemical substances that are partially
exempt from reporting additional
information under the Chemical Data
Reporting (CDR) rule. EPA has
determined that, based on the totality of
information available on the chemical
substances listed in this final rule, there
is a low current interest in their CDR
processing and use information. EPA
reached this conclusion after considering a number of factors,
including the risk of adverse human
health or environmental effects,
information needs for CDR processing
and use information, and the
availability of other sources of
comparable processing and use
information.READ MOREBack to top

PHMSAIn this final rule, the Pipeline
and Hazardous Materials Safety
Administration (PHMSA) is adopting
regulatory amendments applicable to
the reverse logistics shipments of
certain hazardous materials by highway
transportation. This final rule revises
the Hazardous Materials Regulations
(HMR) to include a definition of
"reverse logistics" and provides
appropriate provisions for hazardous
materials within the scope of this
definition. This final rule also expands
a previously existing exception for
return shipments of used automobile
batteries transported between a retail
facility and a recycling center. The
PHMSA incorporated recommendations
from petitions for rulemaking and
public comment into this rulemaking.READ MOREBack to top

ChemicalWatchIt is not too early for companies and trade groups to start preparing their strategies under a reformed Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), an expert panel told a chemical conference last week. Many key provisions remain undecided as negotiations to reconcile bills that passed the House and Senate continue, but panelists at industry conference GlobalChem agreed it is not too soon for companies to begin preparing.READ MOREBack to top

MarketplaceAfter years of negotiations, the parties agreed to the terms of a deal in October, but it still needs to be ratified in order to take effect. In the U.S., that means Congressional approval, but with heavy criticism of the TPP and international trade on the presidential campaign trail, the timing and outcome of a vote are questionable.READ MOREBack to top